Tom Scott

Tenor Saxophone
May 19, 1948 --

Tom Scott

"If you thought Scott's early L.A. Express days were his best, surprise...surprise...surprise he is still the Groovemeister the Sultan of Sax."

--Irene Wadkins

Tom Scott: Tenor saxophonist, composer, and leader. He studied clarinet and soprano and alto saxophone before settling on the tenor instrument. By the age of 19 he had played with the orchestras of Oliver Nelson and Don Ellis and in groups led by Howard Roberts and Roger Kellaway; he had also been in demand as a studio musician and composed music for films. On his first recording as a leader (1967) he made use of rock rhythms and electronic effects; he also included one of his best-known compositions, "Blues for Hari."

Scott turned firmly to jazz-rock in 1973 with his group the L.A. Express, a fusion quartet (later a quintet) which toured and recorded with the singer Joni Mitchell. Its performances were hybrid, combining Mitchell's poetic folk lyrics with jazz improvisation and rock accompaniment. Max Bennett and John Guerin provided the rhythmic underpinning; other members were Joe Sample and Larry Carlton (who were replaced by Kellaway and Robben Ford in 1974).

Scott was the principal soloist on Carole King's hit recording Jazzman (l974). Having previously studied Indian music he toured as music director and soloist with the sitar player Ravi Shankar and the rock musician George Harrison in 1975; thereafter he briefly re-formed the L.A. Express with Bennett, Guerin, Ford, and the keyboard player Larry Nash. From the late 1970s he toured occasionally, but concentrated on studio work in Los Angeles. In the early 1980s he played saxophone and lyricon in groups that blended elements of jazz and soul music.